Botswana National Front command (BNF) has denied a plot to weaken party Vice President, Prince Dibeela’s faction by suspending its key members.
The BNF Central Committee two months ago suspended Secretary for Labour, Eithopa Mokeresete pending a disciplinary hearing over allegations of indiscipline.
It is alleged that Mokeresete’s unruly behavior forced party President, Duma Boko to cancel a scheduled meeting which was convened following the adjournment of a previous unsuccessful gathering.
“Mokeresete turned disorderly, rowdy, disruptive and uncontrollable,” explained BNF spokesperson, Justin Hunyepa at the time of the suspension.
Another member, former South-East South District Council chairman, Phenyo Segokgo was last week, August 3rd slapped with a six months suspension after he was found guilty of inciting serious divisions or a breakdown of unity within the party.
It is believed that the two are key members to Dibeela’s faction.
BNF Publicity Secretary Justin Hunyepa rubbished the allegations as false, stating that the party central committee had no intention of frustrating any member of the party.
Hunyepa explained that the suspension of the pair was a collective decision by the party Central Committee.
Mokeresete’s disciplinary hearing is scheduled to be heard soon.
“There is no intention by any central committee member to purge members of Dibeela’s faction. Mokeresete’s issue is going through the disciplinary process and I will not talk about it,” said Hunyepa.
“On Phenyo Segokgo’s suspension, that issue is being handled by the constituency, we have nothing to do with it, and people should take note that constituencies have powers to take action against any wayward member,” said the Hunyepa.
He confirmed that there may be other pending disciplinary hearings handled by constituencies.
“We would like to call on all constituencies and wards to instill discipline but when they do so, they should ensure that they have all the facts and act fairly,” he said.
Hunyepa was adamant that the BNF is united with both party leader Duma Boko and his deputy leader Prince Dibeela seized with a joint nationwide recruitment campaign.
He said this was an indication that the two are working together.
In 2016, BNF ushered in a new national executive committee at their 17th national elective congress in Francistown. At the elective congress, Duma Boko was unopposed for the position of party president. It has since emerged that the Boko now faces a challenge from his deputy Dibeela.
Team Restoration led by Dibeela recently called a media briefing to “clarify” their differences with former lobby candidates Noah Salakae, Kago Mokotedi, and Nelson Ramaotwana who were two months ago recalled from the lobby list.
Salakae responded to his recall via an open a letter criticizing Dibeela’s faction of victimising him and his two comrades for trying to broker a compromise between BNF’s two warring factions.
BNF which is expected to elect a new leadership this year has indicated that it will hold an elective congress once covid restrictions have been relaxed.
